Update news for 2011-02-04 - Hide & seek

Spotlight features

Signal detection & masking

One of the most fixed things in Perpetuum up to now was the constant, fixed distance of 1000 meters players could see each other.
We are now introducing a new system: how far you can see and how far you can be seen from will both vary based on the robot you use, and the two will not necessarily be the same anymore.

New modules have been also added to help modify these values during gameplay: Signal detectors will allow you to see farther away, and Signal maskers will allow you to be seen from a shorter distance. Finally a third type, Target markers will make your target show up for people farther away (basically reduce their signal masking). As with all new technology, you will have to acquire the knowledge from alien kernels. Check out the ingame help for more details on the exact mechanics.

Incubators

Incubators are basically player-deployable bio-mechanical breeding facilities. They are not plants by definition but they are using the same system like other plants and can be harvested with the same modules. The first item of this kind is the Noralgis and it is used to create Briochit, a new high-end component that is now an integral part of tier 4 items.
Noralgis will not grow everywhere, you can read some planting hints in the ingame help. It can be planted on both alpha and beta islands, but will grow faster on the latter.

NPC caravans

Building upon the same system that has been introduced in our previous patch, new spawns of roaming NPCs have been added that move together in a group.

Gameplay

Fix: Deleting many geoscan results at once should not create excessive lag anymore.

Change: Interference now affects locking range, and increases locking time even more.

Graphics

New: The Arkhe received a new paint color.

New: Added missing assignment header graphics.

Graphic engine

New: Robots have now decaying paint jobs: the colored parts of their hull will gradually wear off as they receive damage. This is only a visual feature and does not affect their performance. (Note: wear state is reset when robots are packaged.)

Extensions

New: Four new extensions have been added which are connected to the sensing system: Signal detection, Signal masking, Optimized signal detection, Optimized signal masking.

Change: The price of all extensions has been increased (the NIC part only, and more apparently for high-end extensions).

Fix: The standing loss reducing effects of the Diplomacy and assignment specialization extensions were not working correctly.

Fix: Extension history was not updated properly directly after an extension upgrade.

Fix: Intensive helioptris harvesting and Intensive triandlus harvesting have been replaced by one common extension, Advanced intensive harvesting. (EP has been reimbursed for those 2 old extensions.)

Fix: Extensive triandlus harvesting had no effect.

Industry

Change: Epriton isn't liquid anymore. Scientists are baffled.

Change: Redistributed mineral amounts, some minerals are now more abundant on islands belonging to a specific faction.

Change: Material regeneration rate has been decreased on alpha islands.

Change: Tier 4 modules now require Briochit as a component.

Change: Single components in damaged nuimqol and pelistal fragments have been increased to 2.

Fix: Refinery yields now receive the various modifiers after the quantity multiplication, making yield values much more precise for large numbers.

New: Kernel research will now tell you when the research was not successful (chance failed).